Huge relief has greeted the Government’s decision this week to rule out a second runway on Mole Valley’s doorstep.

While a legal agreement prohibits any further runway at the airport before 2019, there were fears that a backdoor attempt might be made to overturn it in the Government’s quest to expand aviation services in the South East.

However, the Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, announced on Tuesday that the Government was looking at options elsewhere to solve the problem.

Brendan Sewill, of the Charlwood-based Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, said he was pleased but not surprised. “We would not have expected anything less although we were prepared for it.” He added: “It is a great relief.”

Mr Sewill said that even without the legal agreement, studies had shown that another runway would be environmentally disastrous. The legal agreement was not just a piece of paper, he maintained, it reflected the constraints of the site.

Mr Sewill said that with a 50% increase in passengers already planned for, there was no possibility that Gatwick would stagnate without a second runway.

Mole Valley Council is also relieved that Gatwick has been excluded from the minister’s plans but has expressed “deep disappointment” that a third runway at Heathrow is still on the cards.

The council’s airport working group says the Government report has demonstrated how damaging a second runway at Gatwick would be.

It adds: “We must guard against it being resurrected in the future. Gatwick still has the scope to expand from 30 to 40 million passengers a year, and possibly more, off its existing runway.”

The group says a new runway at Heathrow would contradict the inspector’s conclusions reached during the controversial Terminal 5 public inquiry.

“In addition to the major impact of another runway on communities close to the airport, a much wider area, including Mole Valley, would be affected by an increase in flight movements. There would be more congestion on the M25 and further development pressures,” it adds.

While delighted that Gatwick has been dropped from the Government’s plans, County Hall has expressed “alarm” over Heathrow.

It has urged local people to register their views during the consultation period and not to be complacent over the Gatwick situation.

Announcing a four-month consultation, Mr Darling said that air travel was crucial to Britain’s expanding economy and the Government needed to plan for the future.

“There has been a sixfold increase in air travel since 1970,” he added.

“Now, half the population flies at least once a year and demand is expected to grow. One third of all UK goods exported go by air.”

Mr Darling said that while the UK’s airports were at saturation point, others in Europe were expanding to rival Heathrow.

“If we do nothing the UK will lose out, not just in terms of flights but also jobs,” he warned.